*BRS News Flash 19.06.2025* • Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange slid 1.22 percent as the Israel-Iran war intensified, brokers said. The ASPI fell 210.51 points to close at 17,071.44; while the S&P SL20 dropped 1.11 percent, or 57.43 points, to 5,094.31.📉🌍⚠️ Source : https://economynext.com/israel-iran-tension-continues-to-weigh-down-sri-lanka-stocks-226148/ • Royal Ceramics Lanka PLC (Rocell) is banking on a recovery in the nation’s construction sector but the company’s optimism is tempered by the significant challenges posed by a surge in cheap imports and the absence of anti-dumping legislation.🏗️⚖️🚫 Source : https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-news/Rocell-decries-unfair-competition-as-imports-rise/273-311941 • Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has been awarded Islamic Retail Bank of the Year – Asia by The Banker, a Financial Times publication, at its 2025 Islamic Banking Awards. 🏦🏅🌙 Source : https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-news/Bank-of-Ceylon-named-as-Islamic-Retail-Bank-of-the-Year-Asia-by-The-Banker/273-311942 • The 9th China-South Asia Expo and the 29th China Kunming Import and Export Fair are set to take place from June 19 to 24, 2025, in Kunming, Yunnan Province. 🌏🤝📦 Source : https://www.dailynews.lk/2025/06/18/business/798658/china-south-asia-expo-to-strengthen-regional-economic-ties-through-trade-innovation-and-multilateral-cooperation/ • The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is set to enhance its operational capacity and environmental credentials with the procurement of 20 new electrically operated prime movers at a cost of Rs.1 billion. 🚛⚡🏗️ Source : https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-news/SLPA-aims-to-boost-efficiency-at-Colombo-Port-with-Rs-1bn-investment-in-electric-prime-movers/273-311944 • The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has disbursed a large portion of its long-standing tax refund backlog this year, following a targeted intervention by the Finance Ministry to address a major grievance within the business community. 💰✅📄 Source : https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-main/IRD-clears-significant-VAT-refund-backlog/245-311945 • Oil prices edged up further in early trading yesterday (18) with both benchmarks about 0.5% higher as of 03.30 GMT. 🛢️📈🌅 Source : https://www.themorning.lk/articles/H1NR1LNmkx0k3bGhofEH • Siyapatha Finance PLC, a subsidiary of Sampath Bank PLC and a prominent leader distinguished in Sri Lanka’s non-bank financial sector, announced its decision to raise Rs. 5 billion through its debenture issue. 💵📊🏦 Source : https://www.themorning.lk/articles/F2jHqddva1DmdqwVHJGm • The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, together with the Chamber’s Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Business Council (SLBBC), at the invitation of the Sri Lanka High Commission in Bangladesh, hosted a high-level business dialogue with a visiting delegation from the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Bangladesh, on 17 June at the Hilton Colombo Residences. 🤝🇱🇰🇧🇩 Source : https://www.themorning.lk/articles/I1jIFLw6ONu0UzuVWGmc • Sri Lanka’s Colombo port would be subjected to higher transhipment volumes, leading to congestion delays if Iran decides to block access to the Strait of Hormuz as Middle East tensions escalate. 🚢⛔🕊️ Source : https://www.themorning.lk/articles/jYO7xiD80bwl3w8a6JEK • Sri Lanka’s existing 3.5 million digital transactions has the potential to reach 15 million transactions, just as digital exports can reach $ 5 billion in revenue in 2030, Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Board Member Chandima Cooray told media yesterday (18).📱🚀💻 Source : https://www.themorning.lk/articles/QWvXZ1zu90x0luorEv6l • US private equity firm Blackstone is said to have acquired unsold apartments in Sri Lanka’s Altair project, as it bought Kolkata’s South City Mall, which originally promoted the project in the island. 🏢💼🌇 Source : https://economynext.com/blackstone-acquires-unsold-units-in-sri-lankas-altair-as-it-buys-indias-south-city-mall-226203/ • Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board (EDB) is in discussions with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to develop a National Export Development Plan (NEDP) for 2025–2029, the EDB said. 📦📈🌐 Source : https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-edb-adb-discuss-national-export-development-plan-for-2025-2029-226131/ • Sri Lanka has sold 114.6 billion rupees of Treasury bills, with yields mostly flat across maturities, data from the state debt office showed.💸📉📊 Source : https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-sells-less-than-offered-treasury-bills-yields-mostly-flat-226149/ *BRS Equity Research*